Order Chef Cho Takeout or Delivery
Chef Cho Photos
Business Info
CHEF CHO ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
More like Chef Cho
Recommended Reviews - Chef Cho
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
The food tastes really good and authentic! Especially love the taste and flavor of the stinky tofu, it reminds me of the vendor I used to go to in my childhood. The braised pork rice tastes good, but being a bit soaked in the sauce. Overall will recommend if someone wants to try out Taiwanese cuisine!
We enjoy good Taiwanese food even if we need to drive a little farther. We haven't been able to find good stinky tofu in the South Bay for many years. We are so happy they have really good stinky tofu here! It's not for everyone, but almost every table orders this. We ordered two orders for 3 people. I would be back just for this dish.
Great Taiwanese place! Probably the best stinky tofu and oyster omelette I had in the US! Hubby's beef noodles soup was excellent! Broth was flavorful! Popcorn chicken was all dark meat! So soft and juicy!
I first visited this spot a few years ago, and passing through Newark again reminded me to come back. The name "Liuhe Night Market" might make people think of the famous market in Kaohsiung--known for smoky grilled meats and stir-fried eel, with the sweeter profile of Southern Taiwan. But make no mistake: the cooking here is pure Northern Taiwanese style--savory, balanced, and generous, without that heavy sweetness. The dish that truly impressed me was the fried fish soup. The fish chunks were perfectly fried--crispy outside, tender inside--but what makes this bowl extraordinary is the addition of dried flatfish/sole in the broth. In Taiwan, dried flatfish is the soul of a proper geng soup: without it, it's never authentic. Finding that here in California was a moving surprise. Even better, the flavor is balanced in the Northern style. Pro tip: ask for white pepper and black vinegar--that's when it tastes exactly like the real deal. The oyster omelet was also outstanding: crispy edges, lots of large oysters, and a sauce that's unmistakably Northern Taiwanese. The braised beef noodle soup--brisket, wide noodles, and house-made pickled mustard greens--sits firmly in the red-braised tradition. It reminded me of the long-gone Zhengzhou Street Beef Noodle Row in Taipei: an old-school flavor that's hard to find now, yet here it feels alive again. Round it out with Taiwanese sausage with garlic (ask for extra slices) and stinky tofu that's unapologetically pungent, balanced by lightly sweet Taiwanese-style pickled cabbage. Generous portions, deeply authentic flavors, and a chef who clearly sweats the details. It's not Kaohsiung's Liuhe--think of it as a Northern Taiwan version--and it's a gem. -- Dr. C Only writing for what truly earns the stars.
Like walking into your grandmother's home! The sweetest little mom and pop shop with comforting and authentic Taiwanese food, although dishes run on the saltier side. Definitely have to eat everything with rice! Food is also really affordable and well-portioned. Would be back when I'm craving some fresh and authentic taiwanese food. We were greeted upon entrance and the nice old lady took our order and gave recommendations. The place itself has tons of seating and a bit out of date (they still haven't taken down the sushi pictures from the previous restaurant). Very casual vibes and great for takeout as well.
A solid taiwanese spot with plenty of authentic taiwanese dishes. We ordered stinky tofu, oyster pancake, salted egg and bitter melon, sauteed clam with basil, and hsinchu duck noodle. I loved the stinky tofu, very crispy and flavorful. Oyster pancake was fine. Clam was not bad but theres more shell than meat lol (not really a fulfilling dish). Duck noodle was also decent. The melon was on the crispy / raw side which I don't particularly like, but it's personal taste. Overall a solid 4 star. The place was rather empty when we arrived on a sunday night. High chair available.
I ordered a pork belly bento and small sausage in big sausage. The pork belly bento was very homestyle, with several large slices of red-braised pork belly, rice topped with small bits of pork belly and soy sauce, and side dishes of cabbage and carrots as well as tomatoes and eggs. Small sausage in big sausage is a night market specialty which is very hard to find in the US, so I'm glad they're one of the few Bay Area restaurants that have it. Unlike the original version, they decided to put their own refined twist on it by cutting it into sections, adding a slice of garlic to each section, and garnishing it with a sprig of cilantro. They also added peanuts to the glutinous rice sausage, and the whole item is about twice the size of the night market version.
Being Taiwanese, I'm always thrilled to patronize Taiwanese restaurants, which are few and far between in the Bay Area. My family and I had dinner at Chef Cho's on Saturday night. When we arrived at 6:30pm, the restaurant was mostly empty, which had us second guessing our decision to eat there, but by 7pm, it had completely filled up. I could tell many of the other patrons were Taiwanese, which was a good sign the food would be authentic. Another good sign was that everyone working in the restaurant looked like a Taiwanese Auntie or Grandma. I had trouble with ordering as I know my favorite dishes by name, but I can't read Chinese and the English on the menu was minimally descriptive. Thankfully, the auntie/waiter patiently answered my questions and guided us on how many dishes to order. Would Definitely Order Again 1) Stinky tofu: Crunchy and pungent. Probably the best stinky tofu I've had in the Bay Area. If I'm being nitpicky, the pickled cabbage on the side needed more crunch and tartness. 2) Small sausage in big sausage: This was so yummy even my pickier child liked it. (Note: Make sure to pair each bite with a raw garlic slice - it completes the dish.) 3) Sauteed clam and basil: Delicious. The clams were fat and fresh and paired perfectly with the aromatic basil. Might Order Again 4) Chitterling Rice Noodle Soup: There were so many tasty dishes on the table that this was under-appreciated during dinner. We enjoyed it much more as leftovers, particularly the soft chitlins. 5) Sha-cha beef: Good flavor and the veggies were spot on. My husband and I thought the beef was overly tenderized, but the kids didn't mind. 6) Beef fried rice: The beef was again overly tenderized, but everyone loved the fried rice itself. I'd prob order it with a different protein next time. Would Not Order Again 7) Steamed meatball (ba wan): My daughter liked it. I thought it was just ok - I missed the reddish-orange garlic chili sauce the dish is supposed to come with. It wasn't bad by any means, but there are so many other delicious things on the menu that this is unlikely to make the cut next time. 8) Ground pork noodle soup: This was meh. It was bland in the restaurant and bland as leftovers. Overall, we really enjoyed the food. The dishes that we liked, we really really liked, and my kids are already asking when we are going to go eat there again. It'll probably be pretty soon.
I would typically rate this place a 2 star because of the slow service (or lack of), mediocre food and its cleaniness. But since there was only one older lady serving the entire restaurant, I figured she was doing her best. The stinky tofu was decent (could deep fry a couple more minutes) and since not a lot of places serve this dish, I really appreciated it. I took my oyster pancake home because I didn't want to get sick eating raw oysters. The ground chicken onion roll was the worst. It was mushy, overly sweet and mixed with too much flour, making it tasted doughy/powdery. At the end of the day, I shouldn't really complain because the price was very reasonable.
5 years later, Chef Cho's is still one of the best Taiwanese restaurants in the bay. Apparently, there are folks petitioning to stop them from selling stinky tofu, so they have a poster you can sign when you walk in to support their stinky tofu. Support the stinky tofu! It's delicious and there aren't many restaurants left that sells authentic Taiwanese stinky tofu in the area. Get their Taiwanese street snacks, you can't really go wrong. My favorites are, of course, #1: stinky tofu. But their taiwanese hamburgers (gua bao) are delicious. Taiwanese sausage, deep fried ground chicken onion roll, rice cake cooked in a barrel, etc. are all good as well. Homey, authentic flavors - like your grandma made them. They do get packed on the weekends!
A cute and friendly family business! This is my first time having oyster omelette in the Bay Area and it did not disappoint! They give a good amount of sauce. The Lu Rou Fan was also not bad! I wish the portion size was bigger though.
If you're looking for an authentic mom and pop taiwanese restaurant. This is the place. Very cozy vibes. Most customers are regular who is craving for true taiwanese food. The aunty is very friendly and talkative. Very attentive and kept asking if we need anything else. The uncle sometimes came out and check the customer. Ordered Oyster Omelette. Truly yummy. Goey in the inside, enough Oyster with some greens and Crispy on the outside. The red sauce hit the spot. Even mixed the red sauce with my fried rice. The only thing like somebody mentioned, you can smell some of the oyster, rather fishy. At least I didn't get anything. I have sensitive stomach. Sausage fried rice is on wok hei. Felt the burn. Not enough seasoning. Wish they only used 1 type of chinese sausage. They used 2. Will come back for other local taiwanese cuisine.
Traveled to NorCal for a few days and got a craving for some authentic Taiwanese food. Chef Cho definitely checked the box. Our waitress was attentive and provided good recommendations. We ordered the Oyster Meesua, Stinky Tofu, Stir Fried Water Spinach, Steam Meatball, Sesame Oil Pork Kidney Soup, Pork Soup, and Small Sausage in Big Sausage. All were delicious and just like food I've had in Taiwan. My personal favorites were the Small Sausage in Big Sausage (definitely eat it with the raw garlic and pickled cucumbers), the Stinky Tofu, and the Sesame Oil Kidney Soup (the soup was light and insanely flavorful). The restaurant was nice and spacious. At 6:00PM on a Saturday it wasn't busy, but it did start to pick up a bit. It is a little pricier than some other Taiwanese restaurants I've been to, but it is worth it! I will admit that the menu is translated a little incorrectly and does not accurately depict the food in it's English translations. I hope the photos help clear any questions and convince some of y'all to visit this place! read more
2 years ago
We were a few hours behind schedule so I ran out of time to cook dinner. After watching so many Taiwan food videos on YouTube, I was craving braised pork over rice. I ordered 2 braised pork over rice and the Taiwanese hamburger. I thought the Taiwanese hamburger was good. The bun was soft. The crushed peanuts and pickled greens complimented the fatty pork belly quite well. The peanuts gave it sweetness and texture while the pickled greens made the pork less greasy. The braised pork over rice was okay. The rice was too soft after being soaked with sauce and the pork was slightly bland. However, I did enjoy the cucumber and the pork floss that came with this dish. read more
Such a comforting Taiwanese street food place! Expect the wafts of stinky tofu as soon as you walk in--that's a featured dish and must-get here! All of the street food here is so good, and although I haven't been to Taiwan, my partner's family who is Taiwanese approve of the food and think it's some of the best they've had in the states. I'd definitely get the popcorn chicken, oyster dishes, stinky tofu, and beef noodles again. It's definitely a no frills place to have a satisfying meal. The owner is also funny and chatty, making you feel at home. read more
The Taiwanese food here is delicious and caters to my family and my taste. We came here first time on Sunday at noon. The restaurant is spacious and has many tables. We got seated right away. The staff was nice and friendly. We ordered fish filets with sour cabbage, stinky tofu ( recommended), stirred friend Taiwanese noodles, and 大肠包小肠 (recommended) Taiwanese sausages. The food didn't taste too salty or msg. I like the sauce on sticky tofu, very flavorful. The fish fillet soup is perfect to pair with white rice. The noodles weren't oily at all, like the meat with cabbage. The Taiwanese sausage was also delish, and especially served with warm. We will come back again and try other dishes. The plaza has plenty of parking lots. read more
Ok this place is interesting. The moment you walk in you get hit by the strong smell of stinky tofu. It is pungent. It is not for everyone besides the hardcore Chinese customers. My kids are big fan of beef noodle soups. For a Taiwanese place they only have one variety of spicy beef noodle soup, which the kids loved. I ordered the duck noodles, which was alright. The appetizers are also ok. So this place is a quick and simple. There are a few interesting dishes on the wall I need to try before I make my final verdict. read more
Third visit. We this time ordered more fried dishes, with lamb and hakka fries. Plus a bittermelon soup and the recommended beef noodle. Beef noodles was good but the meat less tender than we tried last time. Bittermelon was okay but customized to more diners with less bitterness flavor, the pork rib wasn't the high end one. But consider the price at 9 dollars, it's very reasonable and understandable. Hakka fries and lamb were a bit disappointing with too strong flavor in salt and candy. Overall it's too salty. But it's probably a true flavor for the dish. Lamb was tender but without any real lamb flavor. Lastly, discover card and Amex and Apple Pay were refused by the owner even though their banner on the door said all accepted. We indeed pay with our discover card before here. Their staff is friendly and welcoming and helpful though. We're done with this restaurant for now and looking for new dining spot. read more
A casual and convenient Taiwanese food spot in town! There are many authentic Taiwanese menu items to order from. From noodle soups to rice dishes to Taiwanese street foods, you'll find something delicious here for everyone. Service was friendly and quick. I ordered the 肉羹汤 which is a thick pork soup and a fried popcorn chicken bento. Both were flavorful. There was a tv playing in the background which made it a very homey ambiance for dine-in. Will gladly come back here to try more items! read more
Got it to go but the wait is pretty long (30 mins). It's a small mom and pop so I can see the guy running back and forth taking orders and making the dishes. I understood why the wait was long. Taiwanese hot dog (small sausage in bing sausage on the menu) - Taiwanese sausage sandwiched between sticky rice and garlic slices. It also comes with a side of pickles which breaks the heaviness of the dish. read more
10 months ago
We came here to get some stinky tofu and oh my god my boyfriend was in love. He said it taste pretty athletic to him. The lady at the front was super sweet honestly all the food is so fresh. There were a lot of family that came here to eat. The place was super clean would we definitely come back. read more
I wanted Taiwanese food -- authentic Taiwanese food that would be soothing on a chilly day. In wanting to try something new, I came across Chef Cho. Chef Cho is located inside a plaza with other restaurants. It was sort of hard to locate as the business name/sign is not obvious. As for parking, there's plenty of parking. No issues. Upon entering, I was greeted and seated ASAP. I had the option to order via register or order via scanning the QR code. I had ordered several dishes -- noodle soup, ma po tofu, pancakes and stinky tofu -- and they were all great -- tastes fresh, with lots of flavors. The portions were huge. I had a lot of leftovers. I didn't go in expecting it to be great, I figured it would be mediocre or bland, but I was wrong. It was much better than I had expected. I would recommend this if you're in the area. Wonderful food and fast service. Will definitely go back in the near future. read more
4 years ago
Connoisseurs of Taiwanese food will rejoice. I guess Chef Cho was closed for awhile, but now reopened. My sister pointed me to the place and we were eager to try, since there are not many restaurants specializing in Taiwanese cuisine in the Bay Area, and Taiwanese food is gaining popularity. Ordering is by online menu using a bar code and you pay at the same time, which kind of make it efficient. Service was attentive. We ordered the standard dishes: stinky tofu, oyster pancake, sticky rice chitterlings, sweet sticky rice, fish ball soup, steamed meat ball(ba wan), minced pork soup noodle, and 3 cup mushrooms. The stinky tofu here was especially good. The tofu fried perfectly; crispy out the outside but soft inside. We liked everything else but the minced pork soup noodle was a little bland. We plan to come back and try other items on the menu. read more
2 years ago
It's nice to find another Taiwanese restaurant in the Bay Area. We ordered the Stinky Tofu, Mi Gao (Glutinous Rice), Oyster Mee Sua, Taiwanese Meatball, and Oyster Pancake. The stinky tofu was excellently fried with a good fermented smell. The Taiwanese meatball was well done with solid squares of meat instead of ground. Everything else was pretty standard, I just wish that the oyster pancakes were a little bit more crispy and flavorful. The ambience was busy, and it had to feel of a family establishment. Service was prompt and responsive. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
Great food! Fantastic friendly service. Stinky tofu with some actual stink, YUM! Genuine Taiwanese food, comes with authentic Taiwanese service too! read more
Meal feed 2 adults and 2 kids. Would recommended taiwanese sausage always, and potage if you are okay with a little too much black vinegar. The rest is to taste, and i would come back here, to try the rest of the menu. Note, many off menu items market-written in mandarin. read more
Came on a Wednesday night and they finally had stinky tofu! It had the stinky flavor on the outside but not too much on the inside. I thought it would be bursting with brine so I was a little disappointed. The garlic sauce brought out the taste more though! And the kimchi was a nice touch. The beef noodle soup came with plenty of beef. My boyfriend also really liked the oyster omelet. Overall it is a good spot for stinky tofu cravings since it's hard to find in the Bay! read more
Good taste, more authentic in terms of taste and menu items than other Taiwanese restaurants in East Bay. I wished the prices are better, how is three cup mushrooms more than chicken? Opted for takeout as I know the place is usually packed and eating home is just more comfortable in general. The oyster pancake is a hit! No more having to trek to Shilin snacks down in Milpitas for it and a much larger portion too, I dare say good for 4 people as an appetizer. The bitter melon with salted egg was more of a steamed dish than pan fried, making it more healthier. We also tried the three cup chicken, I loved the taste and the fact that there was quite a bit of basil in it, but definitely docking a star for this piece of chicken/inedible part with unplucked feathers. Ewwwww. Kitchen staff should take more care in processing the food. read more
7 months ago
8 months ago
2 years ago
Friendly service that transported me back to Taipei. The stinky tofu was pretty spot on! Will definitely come back for more! Beef noodles were delish as was the lu rou fan and basil clams. read more
2 years ago
Decided to try this Taiwanese restaurant at a late evening. Came by 30 minutes before closing and the owner was very nice and welcomed us in. We got the stinky tofu, braised pork rice, and popcorn chicken. Popcorn chicken was freshly fried and the powder on top made the chicken very flavorful. The braised pork rice felt a bit normal (like good, but nothing too special). Stinky tofu is a solid 9/10. If you're a stinky tofu lover, this is the place for you. read more
2 years ago
3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4 Been here a few times and so far so good. They serve a variety of Taiwanese dishes and most of them were pretty authentic. It's so hard to find good Taiwanese restaurants in the Bay Area nowadays. I really liked the fried stinky tofu. The beef noodle soup has great flavors, but I wish they use fresh noodles instead of the boxed noodles. The service was great; I'd come back again. read more
1 year ago
We were here last week, and it was quite awful. Food was plain. The beef fried rice had no salt and no soy sauce or anything that made it tastier. We've been here before, but this was the worst experience we had here. The sesame oil chicken soup smelled good, but did not have any flavor to it. Chicken in the soup was chewy and everything in the soup tasted like a Chinese herbal medicine brew. The stinky tofu, at least, is still as good as ever. read more
3 years ago
I've been to chef Cho many times; every time I crave Taiwanese snacks, I come to this place. They offer a wide variety of dishes at reasonable prices! The restaurant has plenty of seating, and there are many parking spaces outside. I would actually give the score 4.5/5 to them. Dish Recommendations: - Stinky tofu $9.5 It's sufficiently stinky and juicy; I order it every time I come! - Rice cake cooked in barrel $6.35 The rice cake is very flavorful. - Crispy pork intestine $9.5 I've tried other intestine dishes before, and they were all pretty good. - Dried sergestid shrimp & egg fried rice $16.75 The shrimp flavor is delicious! Not Recommended: - Oyster pancake $9.75 Ordered it twice; even though there's a lot of oysters, the fishy smell is too strong. The smell even affected the nearby egg; couldn't finish it. read more
2 years ago
Cozy vibes, owners are really nice and the food reminds of Taiwan. The stinky tofu is really good and the braised pork rice is super rich and delicious read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
I have been to Chef Cho few years ago when they were in different location. I was sad when they closed for a while, but I am very happy to know they are back in business at this new location. Restaurant look very clean and I like tables are not too close between each other. Service is great and foods come out quick and hot. Parking is easy and free. I will definitely come back ago whenever I'm craving for Taiwanese food. read more
4 years ago
So happy to find another Taiwanese restaurant around here. I think here used to be another Taiwanese cafe. Parking was very easy. We ordered couple of foods here and they were all pretty good and very authentic. Chicken cutlet was crispy and juicy. Stinky Tofu was not very stinky but satisfying already. Overall, I would definitely recommended and come back again. read more
2 years ago
As a Taiwanese person, I go here every time I crave some food from home. I have to admit every time I go there I order two plates of Stinky Tofu because it is just too good! My family and I go there often and have always enjoyed the food and the service as well. The restaurant is ran by a kind, welcoming old couple so the ambiance is very family restaurant vibes. The prices are also very worth it for the portion! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
More info about Chef Cho
6180 Jarvis Ave
Newark, CA 94560
Directions
(510) 648-2585
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
More Info
Health Score
Chef Cho Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - Chef Cho
Is there sitting to accommodate a group of 10 or more people inside the restaurant?
they a a few large round tables that can seat ten, else they can probably combine some of the other tables together.
How stinky is the stinky tofu? I've been searching for VERY stinky stinky tofu in America for ages.
Complaints of the stinky tofu smell from nearby eateries to the Health Dept (Chef Cho passed all requirements) AND to the landlord, so they decided to make it a little less stinky but not diminishing the authentic flavor.…
You might also consider
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
13 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
3 years ago
3 years ago
8 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 months ago
9 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
Chef Cho - taiwanese - Updated August 2026
Best of Newark
People found Chef Cho by searching for…
Trending Searches in Newark, CA
Browse Articles
Browse Nearby
BEST of Newark, California Restaurants near Chef Cho
BEST of Newark, California Coffee near Chef Cho
BEST of Newark, California Desserts near Chef Cho
BEST of Newark, California Things to Do near Chef Cho
BEST of Newark, California Parking near Chef Cho
BEST of Newark, California Boba near Chef Cho
BEST of Newark, California Hot Pot near Chef Cho
BEST of Newark, California Popcorn Chicken near Chef Cho
Browse Brands
Related Searches in Newark, CA
Best Asian Dinner Spots to Try in Newark, California
Best Scallion Pancakes Served Fresh in Newark, California
Best Shabu Dining Options in Newark, California
Delicious Dumpling Spots to Try in Newark, California
Delicious Dumplings Available in Newark, California
Discover Authentic Taiwanese Dessert Options in Newark, California
Discover the Best Fried Tofu Dishes in Newark, California
Enjoy Asian Lunch Specials Near Newark, California
Enjoy Authentic Chinese Dinner in Newark, California
Enjoy Authentic Hu Tieu Dishes in Newark, California
Enjoy Classic Beef Chow Fun in Newark, California
Enjoy Delicious Chinese Lunch Options in Newark, California
Enjoy Traditional Chinese Soup in Newark, California
Enjoy Traditional Taiwanese Breakfast in Newark, California
Explore Hong Kong Food Choices in Newark, California
Explore Top-Rated Dan Dan Noodles in Newark, California
Find Authentic Wonton Meals in Newark, California
Find Chinese Noodle Soup Favorites in Newark, California
Find Delicious Dim Sum to Go Options in Newark, California
Find the Best Beef Noodle Options Around Newark, California
Find the Best Fan Tuan in Newark, California Today
Find the Best Mapo Tofu Meals in Newark, California
Find the Best Taiwanese Noodles in Newark, California
Find the Best Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken in Newark, California
Order Delicious Chinese Dumplings Near Newark, California
Order Fresh Bao Buns in Newark, California
Order Fresh Xiao Long Bao in Newark, California
Order Tasty Potstickers From Newark, California Restaurants
Refreshing Shaved Ice Treats in Newark, California
Savor Beef Noodle Soup Specialties in Newark, California
Savor Delicious Rice Noodles in Newark, California
Savor Tasty Pork Bun Treats Around Newark, California
Taste Authentic Congee in Newark, California
Taste Delicious Popcorn Chicken in Newark, California
Top Spicy Noodles Served in Newark, California
Top Wonton Noodle Soup Choices Available in Newark, California
Top-Rated Soup Dumplings in Newark, California to Try
Try Authentic Stinky Tofu in Newark, California
Try Braised Pork Belly Specialties in Newark, California
Try Fresh Rice Roll Options in Newark, California
Try Spicy Wonton Appetizers in Newark, California
Try Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup in Newark, California
Try the Best Bao Bun in Newark, California
Warm Up With Asian Soup in Newark, California
Warm Up With Tofu Soup in Newark, California
Where to Find Pan Fried Noodles in Newark, California
Where to Get Asian Noodles in Newark, California
Where to Get Fresh Pork Buns in Newark, California
